Key facts
Area: London
Grant recipient: Wheels for Wellbeing
Project: Cycling for All and Bikes in the Park
Programme: Reaching Communities
Date of award: March 2010
Amount awarded: £467,337
Wheels for Wellbeing has been promoting cycling for all abilities since it began in 2007. The charity’s fleet of over 100 cycles enable more than 600 disabled people to be physically active at weekly cycling sessions.
The group received funding from the Big Lottery Fund to run and expand their projects in the London boroughs of Croydon and Lambeth. Weekly supervised cycle sessions are supported by individual cycle training and off road training in cycle maintenance, road safety, nutrition and map reading.
Cycling gives beneficiaries independence and freedom and builds confidence as well as fitness levels. There really is something for everyone.
Anne, who attends Wheels for Wellbeing sessions in Brixton’s Brockwell Park, said: "Cycling gets me out and exercising. It has made me determined and has given me much more confidence. I’m now planning to buy a tricycle to ride on the road, with training from Wheels for Wellbeing. That will make me much more independent.”